Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Post History

77%
+5 −0
Q&A Is it possible to use two zener diodes in series back to back to replace a diac?

I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by coquelicot‭  ·  edited 1y ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

#6: Post edited by user avatar Lorenzo Donati‭ · 2023-08-09T21:30:50Z (over 1 year ago)
Retagged.
#5: Post edited by user avatar coquelicot‭ · 2020-07-22T19:08:12Z (over 4 years ago)
grammar
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect, a question that may be interesting for its own.
  • Here is a somewhat simplified schematic (snubber and some filtering cap not included)
  • ![circuit](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/cCLzAu2YAEmUtCsmrWMagCK5)
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I don't have this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect, a question that may be interesting for its own.
  • Here is a somewhat simplified schematic (snubber and some filtering cap not included)
  • ![circuit](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/cCLzAu2YAEmUtCsmrWMagCK5)
#4: Post edited by user avatar coquelicot‭ · 2020-07-22T13:43:50Z (over 4 years ago)
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect, a question that may be interesting for its own.
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect, a question that may be interesting for its own.
  • Here is a somewhat simplified schematic (snubber and some filtering cap not included)
  • ![circuit](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/cCLzAu2YAEmUtCsmrWMagCK5)
#3: Post edited by user avatar coquelicot‭ · 2020-07-22T13:08:22Z (over 4 years ago)
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect.
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect, a question that may be interesting for its own.
#2: Post edited by user avatar coquelicot‭ · 2020-07-22T12:59:31Z (over 4 years ago)
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration. After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect.
  • I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration (the triac is a BTA16). After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar coquelicot‭ · 2020-07-22T12:48:47Z (over 4 years ago)
Is it possible to use two zener diodes in series back to back to replace a diac?
I've accidentally burnt my dimmer with a short. It is a common dimmer with a triac/diac/pot of the simplest configuration. After replacing the triac, this still does not work, and I'm almost sure the problem is the DB3 diac (breakdown voltage at 32 V). I have not this beast in my lab, so, I would like to know if it is possible to use two 32V zener diodes in series, back-to-back, to obtain approximately the same effect.